


Once Upon a Wishing Star

by Sapphire_X



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Angst, F/M, Happy Ending tho, Love, fluff fluff fluff, no beta we die like hop's hopes and dreams, yeah plz don't expect too much from me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:55:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25980079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire_X/pseuds/Sapphire_X
Summary: we'll find out as we go along. Probably will be a pretty short story
Relationships: Beet | Bede/Yuuri | Gloria
Comments: 12
Kudos: 35





	1. Reflections of the Past

When did it start, Bede wondered? Was it when he lost to her in the mine where she piqued his interest?  
There were few things he remembered more bitterly- and more vividly. He’d failed the Chairman- and he needed to be better. He sat in disbelief as the determined Gloria swept past him in battle, with a brief look of worry he was too distraught to see.  
The blood red gems in his hand glinted menacingly at him, and he closed them in a tight fist. With a scream, he threw them against the wall and fell to his knees. It felt just like before- just like when he’d been abandoned, when he’d been left without a family, without a home.  
If he didn’t win this, he’d lose everything. Again.  
Bede wiped away the tears he didn’t realize had fallen, and proceeded to pick up the shattered wishing stars from the ground of the cave.  
A warm hand rested upon his shoulder, and he instinctively jerked away, shaking it off. It was her.  
“What do you want?” he spat venomously, disdain evident on his face, a mask of pride quickly slipping over his vulnerability.  
Her face was gentle- nothing like the fire in her eyes he’d seen during their battle. For some reason, it only served to make him more uncomfortable.  
“Bede, are you okay?” she asked, kneeling next to him. “You know you can talk to me if you need to, right?”  
“What do you think we are? Friends? No. You’re my enemy,” he sneered at her. “That fight was a fluke. Leave my sight.” He rose to his full height, subconsciously intimidating her.  
She was unfazed, and glanced at the broken wishing stars on the ground.  
“Why are you looking for wishing stars so desperately?”  
He ignored her question. “Go away.”  
Gloria took a deep breath, then struck like a viper, faster than he could follow. She snatched his hand and tucked her own wishing stars into it, then turned and quickly strode out of the cave.  
He opened his mouth, then closed it. She left the cave, and he watched her go. He couldn’t ask the question on the very tip of his tongue- Why?  
Why would she give him her wishing stars? Why, of all people, when he’d as well as spat poison at her? And then she’d just strode off like nothing had happened. She’d given him her valuable wishing stars- saved his reputation with Chairman Rose- for...for nothing?  
Bede couldn’t believe it. Did she not want something in return? Impossible.  
Either way, he knew what he had to do. All he had to do was train and train and train, and then he’d be able to have a rematch and prove it- their battle was a fluke. He was promoted by the Chairman himself, after all. He needed to be better.  
Bede winced at the sunlight as he stepped out of the cave, a new resolve burning inside him like cold fire. He raced through Hulbury, disregarding his surroundings, until he emerged, stumbling, into the Wild Area south of Hammerlocke.  
He immediately ran for a Pokemon den, facing down a massive Butterfree. He took it down without much effort and moved on to the next den, maximizing his time and efficiency. Next he faced a Lapras, a far more trying task, and then a Lucario, even more difficult. At the next, a massive Duraladon, Bede’s Pokemon were in poor condition as one after the next finally fainted, pushed too hard by their owner who could not be bothered by his own limits. There were expectations. All he knew was how to keep pushing forward, get better, be stronger-

“Oi! What in the bloody world are you doing to your Pokemon?” To no one’s surprise, Gloria marched up towards him, a dense storm of anger, the heat in her gaze melting away his resolve.  
She pressed an accusatory finger against his chest. “Do you not know when to stop?” Outraged, Gloria swiveled around, readjusting her hand towards Bede’s battered and bruised Pokemon. “Look at them! And I mean, really look at them. They believe in you. They’re doing their best for you. Are you seriously using the poor creatures as disposable meat shields?!” She turned her back to Bede. “Even if you don’t care about them, I do.” As Gloria knelt and sprayed the critically injured Pokemon with potions, her words rang through Bede’s ears.  
It was so familiar- so similar to what Chairman Rose had said. A split second passed as he thought back to the conversation he’d overheard between the orphanage manager and the Chairman. Never had the manager been understanding or kind, but the Chairman...was a different story.  
“Even if you don’t care what happens to him, I do.”  
Gloria’s words jarred him to the core. Bede looked upon his hurt Pokemon with fresh eyes and saw a reflection of his past self- his broken visage of the orphanage gazing back in accusation at him.  
‘You’re becoming everything you feared.’  
‘There’s no turning back now. You cause pain to everything around you. No one wants you.”  
“You left, but you’re still the same. Nothing has changed but your location.” Bede stumbled back, his face flitting from confusion to annoyance to fear. Gloria reached out a hand to him, but he sprinted in the opposite direction without hesitation. 

Gloria sighed. “Guess I’ll have to take care of these poor Pokemon myself...Man, what is wrong with that guy?”


	2. The Captain's Table

Gloria knelt down. “Hey, you guys are worried about your trainer, right? I’m going to get you some help.” She called out her Corviknight, giving detailed instructions to fly ahead and keep an eye out for any Pokemon that were looking for a fight. She gathered the Hatenna, Gothita, Solosis, and his Ponyta behind her. Most Pokemon ran from her overleveled Corviknight, and with her Corviknight’s help, avoided any threatening Pokemon. Gloria worked with her Corviknight to protect them through the Wild Area, herding them into Hammerlocke’s Pokemon Center. She wiped the sand and sweat off her face, guiding the poor Pokemon towards the nurse and explained the situation.  
“Could you keep them in a back room and heal them for now, please?  
The nurse nodded. “Are you going to go find the owner?”  
“Yes, I know the owner...I think he’s having a rough time right now, but I have no idea where he would go.”  
“Well, it seems like you care about him. When people are upset, they often go to a place they’re familiar with.” The nurse smiled mischievously before wheeling the recovering Pokemon away, leaving Gloria by herself, pink-faced.  
“He just reminds me of myself, that’s all,” she mumbled into the emptiness. Her head snapped towards the door. She might know one place he’d be.

Chairman Rose’s favorite restaurant. She’d considered finding the orphanage he’d hailed from, but if the rumors were to be believed, he wouldn’t find comfort there. She shook off that consideration- it wasn’t his home.  
Gloria trekked back through the Wild Area, her trusty Corviknight by her side, headed towards Hulbury. She was fairly certain that Bede would be there- she knew he practically worshipped the chairman. She pushed her way into The Captain’s Table and, amid the tacky decorations, spotted a familiar fluffy head of hair in the corner booth.  
Gloria cleared her throat, approaching the counter. “I’m joining that young man in the corner.”  
The lady at the counter frowned. “He didn’t say he was expecting company. In fact, he told us to keep everyone else away.”  
Gloria leaned forward, a dangerous smile on her face, discreetly sliding a hundred Pokedollar bill towards the worker. “Please take me over there.”  
The employee hesitated for a split second, glancing at the note, then agreed with a resignated sigh.  
“Okay, whatever.” 

Bede saw her come in, of course. She sat down and watched him sullenly sip at a vanilla milkshake, waiting for him to speak. The silence hung heavy over them, like threatening black clouds. Gloria resisted the urge to snicker at the fact that the texture of his whipped cream closely resembled his hair, but managed to keep a straight face as she waited for him to speak. She was not keeping track of time, but she estimated about fifteen minutes they sat in silence, each waiting for the other.  
When it was quite clear that she would not take action first, Bede sighed. He glanced briefly at her face, then looked away, unable to meet her gaze for long. When Bede spoke, it was quiet, almost a whisper.  
“You’re here to yell at me, I assume.” His voice, though low in volume and tone, pierced through the silence. Gloria simply shook her head in response. He licked some whipped cream off his lips, then continued. “Then, what are you here for?” This time, his voice had more of an edge to it, but it felt forced, deflated.  
“Look, Bede, I’m not sure what’s going on with you, but what I do know is that no trainer would leave their beloved Pokemon behind unless they were in great distress,” she said.  
His lip curled. “That’s none of your business,” he snarled, the harshness of his words holding no weight. She looked directly into his eyes, and he broke contact first. His shell still hadn’t broken.  
“You made it my business when you left your Pokemon with me. They’re worried about you, Bede,” she countered.  
His lip trembled, and his facade failed momentarily. “Why would they worry about someone like me?” His question seemed so incredibly ridiculous to Gloria- she, in fact, had to keep herself from laughing aloud.  
“What do you mean, someone like you?”  
He pensively stirred his milkshake, the hustle and bustle of the rest of the restaurant seeming far away. The tension between them felt as thick as taffy as she watched and waited for a response. Her questions pulled and pushed, trying to open a hole in his defenses.  
“Bede, I don’t know what’s going on with you...but I know that trainers don’t leave behind their pokemon for no reason. You abandoned both their safety and your own,” Gloria said gently, “and no trainer does that for no reason.”  
“I’m not like you!” He suddenly stood up, every trace of vulnerability gone, slamming his mostly empty metal cup onto the table with a bang. Gloria flinched and stiffened. “You don’t know who I am! Stop pretending like you do!” His voice had risen to a yell, drawing attention from nearby. All eyes in the restaurant turned on them.  
“Look, Bede, I’m just trying to help here-” Gloria started, but was suddenly cut off by another source of ruckus.

“Nope. That’s it. I’m done. I quit.” The hostess who’d let Gloria in looked furious and at the end of her rope. “I ain’t throwing out a pair of little kids. Sorry, boss, that’s it.” She took off her apron and tossed it onto the counter, then strode out the door. The other employees seemed to panic, desperately trying to compensate for their ex-coworker, swarming like bees in a hive.  
Amidst the chaos, Bede took the opportunity to slip out unnoticed, and Gloria only realized he had disappeared when the panic of the restaurant slowed.  
She raced out, feeling as if the panic in the restaurant had shifted and coalesced inside her. How could she lose someone who stuck out so much? She scanned different directions, searching, searching, for any sign of Bede.  
There! Moving past the Pokemon center, towards the Wild Area- a flash of pink and white, just barely enough to tip Gloria off. She sprinted forward, straight into the Wild Area after him, her heart pounding for reasons not restricted to her running. Her footsteps and heart played an incredibly nervous rhythm, her mind screaming at her to catch up. He had no Pokemon, and if he got attacked…  
“Bede!” she screamed, finally catching up to him and realized he was staring down a Rhydon, with no Pokemon to protect him. Gloria placed a protective hand in front of him and stepped forward, still trying to catch her breath. She called out Corviknight as the Rhydon charged.  
Bede watched her engage in battle, quickly enraptured at her lack of hesitation. All to protect...him. Why?  
Corviknight stopped the Rhydon’s charge, digging its strong claws into the dirt. It looked to Bede more like a really intense sumo wrestling tournament than a Pokemon battle.  
“Okay, Midnight, let’s go!” Gloria called, encouraging her Pokemon as Bede watched the confidence on her face. They were so in sync- Midnight and Gloria were a pair that couldn’t be matched, even by the strong Rhydon. Midnight attacked, beating down the Rhydon until it collapsed. “Midnight, back off!”  
Midnight perched on Gloria’s shoulder, the massive Corviknight looking over at Bede, who couldn’t help but feel as if he was being scrutinized. Gloria pulled a Pokeball from her pocket, tossing it straight towards the Rhyhorn.  
It shook once. 

Bede held his breath. If it broke out, Gloria might be forced to knock it out, and there was no chance of catching it then. If it didn’t…  
It shook a second time. 

It was either going to break out, or Gloria would catch it.  
It shook a third time…

And...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, people, you'll find out what happens to Rhyhorn next time!! Thank you all for reading, my wonderful friends!!


	3. An Uphill Battle

...Click. 

Caught.

For a moment, they both stared in a stunned silence, then Gloria picked it up. Without a word, she handed the Pokeball to Bede. 

“What? No, you're its trainer. You caught it.” Bede pushed it back in her direction. 

Gloria shrugged. “It doesn’t know that.” She looked at the ground shyly. “And, my team’s full. Either way, you need a Pokemon in the Wild Area,” she said, wrapping Bede’s hand over the Pokeball. 

Her hand left a lingering warmth on Bede’s skin, and for a second, he wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and keep that warmth with him-

Then he snapped out of it. What was he thinking? She may be fierce, and smart, and kind, but-

But nothing. He didn’t have a crush on her. He couldn’t. It wasn’t possible.

Something deep in his chest cried out at the lock he’d carefully placed on it, slamming itself against the steel cage around it, and in the end, he did nothing. 

He kept his face a stony mask.

“Thanks,” his voice came out as barely a whisper, and he immediately regretted speaking. His voice had betrayed him, betrayed those incarcerated feelings inside him. 

Luckily, Gloria hadn’t seemed to notice. She hadn’t even heard him, busily scanning the horizon for any sign of a threat. 

“Oh, I forgot! I found some more wishing stars.” She bounced up to him, tucking the red gems into his pocket. 

“Why are you giving me these?” he asked, finally able to voice the question he had since the Galar Mine. 

She frowned, puzzled. “What do you mean? It’s not like I need them.” She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just a gift for a friend.”

“Friend? I thought I told you-”

“Yeah, yeah. We’re not friends,” she finished unhappily, giving him a serious look. “Sure, you may be brash and brusque, but at least you have a kind heart. And you treat me better than most people I’ve encountered.” 

Bede was quiet for a minute. “I guess I can tolerate your presence.” He looked away. “I suppose I don’t hate you. Maybe we can be friends.” The steel bars were weakening under the weight of Gloria’s genuinity, the pressure of being so near to her. The cage was getting weak- he was spending too much time with her. 

But he couldn’t help himself.

Gloria’s face split into the biggest smile he’d seen on her face, and he staggered back as she threw her arms around him with an unmitigated cry of joy. His shock held him in place, then he returned the hug, feeling a bit more safe now that she couldn’t see his face. He felt his cheeks burning as he allowed the smallest smile to grace his lips, but it couldn’t last. The warmth washed over him, but as quickly as it had come, Gloria was bouncing away again excitedly. Bede quickly patted his cheeks when Gloria wasn’t looking, trying to calm his redness as well as his racing heart. 

What was wrong with him?

Gloria called out Midnight, once again sending him up ahead to scout. 

After a moment of hesitation, Bede called out the Rhydon. Its cry rang in his ears as it turned its head this way and that in confusion. Bede took a step towards it, reaching out a gentle hand.

“Shh, it’s okay. Hey, I’m Bede, your trainer. How about I give you a name?.

The Rhydon, puzzled, tilted its head.

“Hey, shh, you’re okay. I’m not going to hurt you. It’s okay. How about Lyra?” 

The Rhydon closed its eyes and gave a roar, causing Bede to almost balk before realizing that his newly acquired Rhydon meant him no harm. The Rhydon placed its head against his in a gesture of acceptance, and Bede felt another rare smile lift at the corners of his mouth. Lyra. 

A new friend. Gloria watched Bede form a new bond with his Pokemon, entranced by the soft moment she was watching. She stuck her hand in her pocket, forcing herself to look away.

“Come on, let’s go get your other Pokemon.”

  
  


When they returned to the Hammerlocke Pokemon Center, Gloria spoke with the nurse at the front, and the Pokemon from the back ran towards Bede, with cries of joy and relief. Rhydon roared in protest, stepping in front of her trainer. The significantly smaller pokemon shrunk away, spooked, unsure of what to do. 

Bede placed a hand on the Rhydon, calming her. 

“Hey, it’s okay. Don’t worry. They’re friends.” He knelt down, holding out a hand to his smaller Pokemon, who took hesitant looks at one another. “It’s okay,” he urged again, and his smaller Pokemon approached the Rhydon, albeit slowly. 

Gloria couldn’t help but smile. It was one heartwarming scene to watch after the next- Bede just had a way with Pokemon. He loved them and was patient- and in return, they loved him too.

‘Yeah, I can understand why they love him,’ she mused internally, then flushed as she caught herself. Bede looked directly at her, and she felt like a deer caught in headlights.

She swallowed her embarrassment as Bede said something- but she couldn’t make it out. It sounded like they were underwater, and she blinked it away. 

“What?”

“I  _ said _ , why are you staring at me? It’s kinda creepy!” Bede stood back up, an incredulous look on his face.

Gloria looked away hastily. 

"S-sorry! I just zoned out."

Bede gave a sigh. "Really, Gloria, you _must_ pay more attention. You can't be a Champion if you're this absentminded," he said, but the tone of his voice wasn't really harsh or angry- more like teasing. 

Gloria huffed, putting her hands on her hips in protest. 

"Tell that to Leon! He gets lost everywhere he goes. I think zoning out once in a while is just fine, compared to needing a tour guide in his own hometown!" 

Bede gave a short laugh, a bit like a bark. He hadn't expected that at all. 

And suddenly-

His mask was ready to crack-

His cage was weakening under the pressure of Gloria's presence-

He couldn't keep those feelings locked up forever--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heehee What will Bede do?? Gloria's a bit kind, a bit sassy, as usual, and Bede's mask might melt away soon...


	4. The Creaking Cage

So when did it start? When did Bede start losing to her? When did Bede start losing his battle with himself?  
He reckoned it was when she’d given him her wishing stars- not just once, but twice, given him some of her most valuable possessions.   
And for what? Because she wanted to? A gift for a friend, she’d insisted. 

But it stuck in Bede’s mind. 

‘She hadn’t done that for Hop,’ a small voice in the back of his head piped up.

‘You don’t know that,’ another voice in his mind argued back.

“You’re a funny one, Glo,” came out of his mouth before he’d even realized, and a faint smile accompanied it. It didn’t have any edge to it, it didn’t sound harsh- and he realized with incredulity that it hadn’t been meant as an insult. 

Her eyes twinkled. “Bede, did you just give me a nickname?! You just gave me a nickname!” she exclaimed, once again jumping forward to wrap Bede in an ecstatic hug.   
Bede’s Hatenna gave a smirk from the corner of his eye as Gloria’s warmth filled him again. He placed his arms around her after a moment's hesitation.  
‘Well, if I can’t hold her on my own terms, then this is good enough for now,” his whole mind agreed, reining in his trapped feelings that made him want to stay in the embrace forever.   
It felt as if he’d spent his life in a cave, hiding in shadow, and he was finally able to bask in the warmth, the light of the sun that was within Gloria. Glo was the perfect nickname for her- because she glowed, glowed as the sun through his gloomy life- and then it was gone as quickly as it came.   
“Sorry, I know you aren’t too keen on physical contact…” she said, shying away, backing up towards his Pokemon.   
Bede shook his head and swallowed thickly. “No, it’s okay.”  
“Really?! You don’t mind hugs?”  
“They’re fine, but you better not go spreading that around,” he said, trying to give an angry scowl. It didn’t work, and he feared he merely looked constipated, so he forced his face back to a neutral expression. 

His mask had fallen, shattered on the floor without a sound. 

He was mystified- was it the warmth that caused its fall? What was wrong with him?

He needed to get out of there before his defenses failed. The cage creaked under the desperate thrashings of the feelings locked away, and he knew he needed time to let it strengthen again- away from Gloria.   
“I must get going. I have to meet the Chairman,” he said, turning away and collecting his Pokemon.   
“Oh! Okay,” Gloria said in surprise, stepping back at the sudden wall between them. She quietly watched him quickly gather up his belongings.   
“Do you want to meet for breakfast tomorrow?” she broached boldly, aware that this was the closest she’d ever come to asking someone on a date.

Bede was quiet for a few seconds. “What are you talking about? We have a gym challenge to complete. We don’t have time for that.”

Gloria gave a soft, hurt-sounding, “Sorry, Bede…”

The cage inside him, he knew, was very close to cracking.  
“It’s okay, I’m just busy. Maybe...Maybe next week, Glo,” he said, refusing to look at her.   
He suddenly turned around and grabbed a pen and paper from the front desk, scrawling down a collection of numbers and shoved it at Gloria.  
“Here. My Rotom number. Just in case...In case you need me. Or something.” He whirled back in the other direction, desperately trying to keep his scarlet face hidden from view. 

Gloria watched him go, holding the scrap of paper to her chest like it was her lifeline. He’d turned her down, but...He’d given her his number. 

“So he’s the one you went to track down?” the nurse at the counter asked with a sly grin.  
“Yeah, he- he was the trainer of those Pokemon,” Gloria stuttered, trying to reorganize her thoughts.   
“Well, it looks like he didn’t turn you down. You may just want to chase him down soon- the more time away from you he spends, the more likely he is to put his guard back up,” the nurse commented. 

He hadn’t directly turned her down...  
Which meant...She might have a chance.

With that thought grew a smile on her lips that she tried, and failed, to hide.  
“You’re right.”   
Gloria turned towards the door, intending to follow him, before realizing that he was already far gone.

But then, where was he going this time?


	5. A Fool's Errand

Bede had said that he was going to Chairman Rose…

Gloria silently strode toward the door, the smile falling from her face. She peeked her head out the automatic doors, the nurse still keeping an eye on her as she hesitated. 

“Go for it. I can tell you care for him.” 

Gloria, without turning around, took a deep breath and stepped out, taking off at a sprint to search the city. 

Hammerlocke was a big place. She checked the hair salon and found nothing. She checked the other two Pokemon centers and once again came up with nothing. She checked the stadium, the vault, the busier areas of the street, racing between buildings and felt nothing but mounting despair. Gloria sighed...She wasn’t ready to give up hope, though. 

‘Where could the chairman be? More importantly, where could  _ Bede _ be?’ she mused to herself, pacing her steps with her heavier breathing. She checked the housing areas- even went and knocked on some doors, having to repeatedly pull herself away from attention-seeking Pokemon. She gave another deep sigh, en route to the first Pokemon Center. 

Just as her stroke of luck seemed to be running dry and she was about to pull out her phone in resignation, a flash of long hair caught her eye at the entrance, accompanied by two others in hushed conversation. Gloria noticed a familiar head of fluffy white hair, nearly mistaking it for a floating Wooloo. Bede was with them! 

Before she took a step forward, an air of caution fell over her, and before she registered what she was doing, she snuck out of their eye line. She screamed at herself internally. Why was she hiding? She had no reason to hide. All she knew was that she did not want to be seen. 

A few minutes into the conversation, and she had her answer as she crept ever closer.

  
  


The woman with the long, luscious hair seemed to be speaking. 

“Chairman Rose, how do you suggest we proceed with our plans?”

“Hmm. Well, to continue with our time frame, we need more wishing stars.” The chairman smiled- but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Bede, we need to speed up our increase. Wherever you can get it from.”

Bede’s hands clenched into fists. 

“Sir, I have been doing my best. I can’t get them any faster than I have been-”

“What, because you’ve been taking handouts from that other brat? Going soft on us, are you, Bede?” The lady’s eyes narrowed, peering into Bede’s soul. “Aw, is the little orphan falling in  _ love _ ?” She stepped closer, her frame hulking over Bede’s. “You have a job to do. Chairman Rose, your protegee is getting distracted by a girl!”

Gloria watched with wide eyes and bated breath, waiting for Bede’s response. Deafening silence followed. Even the rest of Hammerlocke seemed to fall quiet, waiting for Bede, waiting for him to defend the girl he liked. 

He unclenched his fists. 

Returned his face to a blank expression.

Sealed the cage. 

Took a breath. 

“That girl offered me her wishing stars. There is no other purpose to our interactions. I thought it would be best for us if we used her to our advantage.”

Gloria’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes welling up with thick tears. 

He...couldn’t even say her name. He’d even given her a nickname, and he couldn’t even say her name to them. 

She was just “that girl” to him, and she always had been. She blinked twice, and the tears rolled freely, dropping down her chin. She sniffled quietly and wiped her tears with her sleeve, backing away from the rendezvous that she’d eavesdropped on. She hid her face in shame, refusing to make eye contact with anyone nearby, watching the ground with fierce intent through bleary vision.

Why did it  _ hurt _ so much? She was just another person to him. Someone to use. A means to an end- yet she could not say for certain that she regretted giving him her wishing stars. 

She leaned against the Pokemon Center, tears still streaming down her face. She hiccuped, her chest shaking with emotions. 

She’d almost confronted him right when he said those words. She wanted to yell and scream-  _ why  _ did he lead her on? How  _ dare _ he mess with her feelings? How  _ dare _ he make her feel like she had a chance? She reached a shaking hand into her pocket, pulling out the slip of paper. 

In a violent burst of anger, she ripped it into unrecognizable pieces, her tears still watering the ground as she began sobbing heavily again. 

Gloria’s empty gaze watched the pieces fall as she slid to the ground. She knew it- love just wasn’t in the cards for her.

‘ _ I am a fool. I am nothing but a fool.’  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry plz don't kill me


	6. Not My Business

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> wow trauma...they are having issues

Gloria swiveled to face that familiar voice, that single source of her wounds that simply refused to heal.  
Bede stared back at her, his face twisted in anger, but his eyes betrayed the heart of his feelings- violet pools of his soul’s own sorrow.

Gloria’s heart only slightly twisted in sympathy. She wanted to caress his cheek, pull him close and comfort him, tell him it’ll be okay, but her hurt and pride stopped her from stepping any closer.   
“No, why would someone like me be here to laugh at you? I’m not even on your radar. I’m inconsequential. My only purpose to you is to be useful. An advantage, right? Why would you even talk to me?” Her wrath grew, her voice rising with it.   
“What right,” she said, her voice beginning to break, “What right did you have to make me think that I...That we-”  
Her voice cut off with a sob. Bede’s anger broke, replaced with widened eyes and a look of despair.   
“No, Glo, it’s not- it’s not like that! I don’t-”

“Save it, Bede! Save it for someone worth your time. Clearly you don’t even see me as a person.”

“Glo! Glo, that’s not right!” He desperately wanted to say.

“Leave me alone!! And don’t you dare call me that!” Gloria continued, fuming. “Back off, Bede! I hope you never speak to me again,” she cried, storming into the Pokemon center. She wiped away her hot tears, still crying.   
The friendly nurse from before named Lilith quickly ran over, gesturing for a coworker to take her place at the front.   
“Dear, what’s wrong?” Lilith asked, and out poured the story as she sat Gloria down gently at the cafe, calling softly for a hot cocoa. 

Her eavesdropping, his cruel words, his acting out, his disqualification- everything flooded from her like water through a crumbling dam. She talked through her feelings, her hurt, and every so often, Lilith asked a quick clarifying question, but otherwise, she listened intently. Her green eyes changed with the progression of the story, and as Gloria finished, they seemed so sad, seeming to reflect Gloria’s own feelings. A hug came suddenly from the other girl, and Gloria blinked in surprise, momentarily stopping her tears. 

When they pulled away, Lilith spoke. “Dear, don’t you think he might have been trying to protect you? These sound like dangerous people...He was probably being careful so they wouldn’t use you against him. Haven’t his other actions made it clear how he feels?”   
“B-but he said I meant nothing to him! He was just using me!”  
Lilith frowned a bit. “It sounds like he never expected the wishing stars at all, though. How could he use you if it wasn’t part of his original plan?”  
“I- I- I don’t know! All I know is that it hurt so bad..” She trails off, dissolving into sobs again. Lilith put an arm around her gently, and she paused. “I...I want to be around him...I want him to like me. Even after that…”   
“Sounds like you’re not getting anywhere until you talk to him. And this time...Try to listen, okay? He may have something else to say.”  
Gloria wiped her tears away, with a wavering smile. “Okay. Okay. I can do this. Let’s go dig out an explanation.”   
Lilith looks down guiltily. “I- I would go with you, but I can’t...I took my break to talk to you, but my shift isn’t over for three more hours…”  
Gloria’s eyes widen. “Oh, no! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”  
Lilith smiles at her. “Well, my only other option was wandering around the city I grew up in, so I don’t mind not doing that for once.”   
“Okay. I didn’t mean to take up time while you were working…” Gloria looks down, fidgeting a bit.   
“Don’t worry about it. I have to get back to work though.” Lilith gave her a quick hand squeeze. “Go get ‘em, tiger,” she said encouragingly.   
Gloria wipes away the last of her tears. “You’re right! I can do this. I guess if it all goes poorly...Then you’ll know in three hours.” Gloria smiles ruefully as she exits the building. 

She crouches, gathering up the ripped shreds of paper, piecing them back together to make out the numbers. She let out an expletive, realizing she was still missing a single number. She put the numbers she knew into her Rotomphone, leaving the contact name as ???. She couldn’t bring herself to write his name yet.   
Gloria considers talking to him in person. No, she wasn’t ready for that, either...Her only choice was figuring out what the last digit was. She muses to herself, trying to suss out what number to type in first. She started with 4, then 3, then 2, followed by other numbers. At each number, she was informed that no, Bede wasn’t there, nor had they ever heard of him. When she finally wrapped around and hit 5, she sighed.

Last number. She took a deep breath, then confirmed the number, bringing her phone up to her ear, hoping, hoping. 

“Hello?” The voice that came through was familiar to her- a bit airy, usually very confrontational, sometimes very harsh, but still a voice that she could listen to forever. 

Gloria chokes down a shocked, disbelieving laugh, layered thickly with other emotions. “Bede.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all...sorry bout the delay. I'll try to keep up with this a lil better, but I'm a suffering high school student so if I go off the grid again feel free to bonk me over the internet

**Author's Note:**

> hey, thank you for reading!! I appreciate it. This ship needs more of an audience and I hope you enjoyed! You can always bug me to write more, haha


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